1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a medical analyzing apparatus for automatically transferring and analyzing test pieces each of which is dipped in a fluid specimen such as urine or blood. In particular, the present invention relates to assemblies incorporated in the analyzing apparatus: an assembly for removing an excessive amount of specimen on a test piece, an assembly for transferring a plurality of test pieces simultaneously, and an assembly for analyzing test pieces by photometry.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, use has been made of a rectangular test piece carrying several test pads for performing medical checkup of a specimen such as urine or blood. Each of these test pads contains a certain reagent. Thus, when the test piece is dipped in the specimen, the test pads may change colors. By analyzing these changes in color by photometry, the medical conditions of the specimen are known.
For automatically performing the photometric analysis of a test piece dipped in a specimen, use may be made of a test piece analyzing apparatus. An example of conventional test piece analyzing apparatus includes a test piece transfer unit and a test piece analyzing unit. The test piece transfer unit serves to transfer a test piece dipped in the specimen to the test piece analyzing unit. At the analyzing unit, the specimen-wet test piece (simply called xe2x80x9cwet test piecexe2x80x9d hereinafter) is subjected to a predetermined photometric analysis. To this end, the conventional test piece analyzing unit may include an optical system for subjecting the wet test piece to an optical treatment and a driving mechanism for moving the optical system relative to the test piece.
Conventionally, the automatic transfer of a wet test piece may be performed in two ways. According to one of them, the wet test piece is caused to slide on a supporting member to be brought to the analyzing unit. According to the other way, the wet test piece is picked up by a holding mechanism to be moved in midair toward the analyzing unit.
Though there are some advantages, the former method is disadvantageous in that the wet test piece will contaminate the supporting member during the sliding transfer operation. By the latter method, more than one test piece cannot be transferred simultaneously, thereby reducing the operational efficiency.
For removing an excessive amount of the specimen on the test piece, a suction pump may conventionally be used together with an effluent bottle connected to the suction pump via a pipe. When the effluent bottle is full of the collected specimen, the user may empty the bottle and clean it for reuse.
However, the above manner is disadvantageous in the following points. First, the suction pump cannot be actuated without power supply. Second, the mechanical suction pump tends to make noises in use. Third, it is a troublesome job to clean the effluent bottle. Fourth, an additional inner space is needed within the analyzing apparatus for installing the suction pump and the effluent bottle, which may result in an increase in size of the analyzing apparatus.
The conventional test piece analyzing unit is also disadvantageous in the following points. As stated above, the test piece analyzing unit is provided with an optical system for subjecting a wet test piece to an optical treatment. More specifically, the optical system includes an illuminator for illuminating the wet test piece from above, and a light receiving device for detecting light reflected on the wet test piece. Based on the detected reflection light, the locations of the test pads on the test piece are determined, and the color changes of the test pads are evaluated.
In the above arrangement, however, it is difficult to accurately determine the locations of the test pads on the test piece. This is because when the test piece is wet with the specimen, it tends to become difficult to distinguish light reflected on a test pad from light reflected on a portion of the test piece at which no test pad is provided.
The present invention has been proposed under the above circumstances and its object is to reduce or even eliminate the problems described above.
For attaining this object, the present invention adopts the following technical measures.
According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a fluid absorber for removing an excessive amount of specimen on a test piece comprising:
an absorbent member for absorbing the excessive amount of specimen; and
a holding member for supporting the absorbent member, so that the absorbent member comes into contact with the test piece.
The absorbent member may be arranged to come into contact with the test piece after the test piece is slidably moved by a predetermined distance.
The absorbent member may be made of an absorbent fiber, a porous resin, a macromolecular absorber, a sponge and the like.
Preferably, the absorbent member may be supported by the holding member in a replaceable manner.
The fluid absorber further comprises a casing for accommodating the absorbent member, wherein the casing is supported by the holding member in a replaceable manner.
According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a test piece transfer assembly for transferring test pieces from a first waiting region to a second waiting region, the test piece transfer assembly comprising:
a test piece holding section extending from the first waiting region to the second waiting region, the test piece holding section being arranged to hold a predetermined number of plural test pieces disposed at regular intervals; and
a horizontally reciprocative pinching mechanism arranged to simultaneously hold the predetermined number of test pieces in midair and release the predetermined number of test pieces after the test pieces are advanced by the regular interval.
The pinching mechanism may comprises:
a plurality of test piece holding members each arranged to pinch, lift, lower and release a test piece;
a first actuating mechanism arranged to cause each of the test piece holding members to pinch, lift, lower and release a test piece;
a second actuating mechanism arranged to cause the test piece holding members to advance by the regular interval when the test pieces are lifted, while also being arranged to cause the test piece holding members to regress by the regular interval after the test pieces are released.
The test piece transfer assembly may further comprise a reciprocative casing and a rod supported by the reciprocative casing for pivotably holding the test piece holding members disposed at the regular intervals, wherein each of the test piece holding members includes a first piece and a second piece, the first piece releasably engaging with a surface of a relevant test piece, the second piece releasably engaging with another surface of the relevant test piece.
The first and the second pieces of each test piece holding member may be urged in a predetermined direction by elastic members, the first and the second pieces of each test piece holding member being selectively brought into an open state and a closed state.
The first actuating mechanism may include a rotation shaft, a cam secured to the rotation shaft, and a cam follower associated with the cam for actuating the test piece holding members.
The cam may have a quarter-circular configuration.
The second actuating mechanism may include a protruding piece movable about an axis, and a swing arm formed with a guiding groove for slidably receiving the protruding piece.
The test piece holding section may be provided with a pair of rails formed with hollows for positioning the test pieces.
The test piece transfer assembly may further comprise a test piece discarding opening adjacent to the test piece holding section.
According to a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical analyzing assembly for a test piece having an obverse surface and a reverse surface, the obverse surface carrying at least one test pad, the analyzing assembly comprising:
a first illuminator for illuminating the obverse surface of the test piece;
a light receiving device for receiving light reflected on the obverse surface of the test piece; and
a second illuminator for illuminating the reverse surface of the test piece for locating the test pad;
wherein the light receiving device also serves to receive light which is emitted from the second illuminator and passes through the test piece.
The first illuminator, the light receiving device and the second illuminator may be arranged to move relative to the test piece.
The first illuminator may include a plurality of light emitting elements which are arranged in a circle and emit light of different wavelengths, the light receiving device being disposed at a center of the light emitting elements.
Selected ones of the light emitting elements may emit light of a same wavelength and be circumferentially equally spaced from each other.
Said selected ones of the light emitting elements may emit light with different phases.
According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an optical analyzing assembly for a test piece having an obverse surface and a reverse surface, the obverse surface carrying at least one test pad, the analyzing assembly comprising:
an illuminator for illuminating the obverse surface of the test piece;
a first light receiving device for receiving light reflected on the obverse surface of the test piece; and
a second light receiving device arranged below the test piece for receiving light passing through the test piece.